Wartime Propaganda

George Creel, who headed the Committee on Public Information during World War I, considered posters crucial for wartime communication. “I had the conviction,” he wrote, “that the poster must play a great part in the fight for public opinion. The printed word might not be read, people might not choose to attend meetings or to watch motion pictures, but the billboard was something that caught even the most indifferent eye.”

During World War II, film clips, leaflets, and radio were also employed, but posters were still considered effective tools of propaganda. Much of the poster art emphasized the unembellished photographic imagery and simple texts favored by commercial advertisers at the time. Some posters, instead of exploiting sentimental themes related to the family and American values, featured renowned military leaders who could unite home front and battle front with a single authoritative voice.